


Soulmates Never Die

by LittleMissHeartfillia, silverjewelkitten



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Deaf, F/M, disabled, mention of tortured past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-17 19:55:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14838168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissHeartfillia/pseuds/LittleMissHeartfillia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverjewelkitten/pseuds/silverjewelkitten
Summary: Gajeel Redfox never believed in love. He was sure it wasn’t for him. But those six little words were going to change his life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the result of a collab I did with @gajeely on tumblr! She did three wonderfully amazing and perfect cover photos for each chapter and I wrote three chapters of Gajevy Soulmate Fluff!!! If you wanna see the arts she did check out her tumblr (Gajeely) or mine as Little-Miss-Heartfillia! We have each chapter posted there too with each photo~

True love doesn’t exist. Gajeel had believed that his entire life. In fact he wished the very concept of it would disappear. He didn’t need it, although the rest of the world would tell him otherwise. “You’ll find true love,” they’d say. “It’s just a matter of time.” They would insist that there was someone out there for everyone and that the words on his arm should have proven to him that his soulmate was somewhere on this earth. He fought the urge to scream at them. To shout that there was nothing there.

He didn’t have a soulmate. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d look at that one blank spot of skin on his arm and wonder...Wish that he would see something, that words would magically appear. Instead their wanton silence confirmed what he’d told himself from a young age. He would die alone. Forever that cruelly intimidating next door neighbor who unironically owns a cat. _True love is for saps._ He told himself, shaking the thoughts out of his head and making his way to his front door. _I sure as hell don’t need it._ He looked behind him to his couch where his brown furred cat, Pantherlily, was lounging with his feet in the air. “Good enough for me.” He called to the cat who didn’t move. “I’ll see ya later, ‘Lil. Try not to destroy the house while I’m gone.” He looked back one more time waiting for a response. The only thing he got was Pantherlily letting out a strangled meow that sounded oddly guttural for a cat. He shook his head and opened the door. He walked out onto the porch and stuck the key in the lock. A noise at his side caught his attention.

“And this is your apartment key. Try not to lose it. Keep up with rent and make sure your apartment is in good repair and we’ll get along just fine.” He recognized the voice of Old Man Markorov, his landlord. It looked like he was helping someone into the empty apartment next to his. While Markorov explained the rules of the complex a busty blonde stood looking away from him and making strange motions with her hands.

She looked like a lunatic, making all these crazy motions while his landlord tried to talk to her. He took a few steps forward to greet the old man.

“Yo, gramps,” he said raising a hand in greeting. The minute he got closer to the blonde at Markorov’s side Gajeel realized there was someone else standing in front of the blonde, intensely focused on her crazy hand movements. She was short, _really_ short, Gajeel hadn’t even noticed her at first. Her wide hips fit her perfectly and that short scruffy blue hair made a bigger first impression than he had expected.

Markorov turned and waved a hand to Gajeel in return. “Gajeel. Good to see you out and about,” he said and the blonde once again made a bunch of hand movements to the shorter one who finally took her eyes off the blonde’s antics and looked around her waist to catch Gajeel’s eye. “This is your new neighbor, Ms. Levy McGarden.” Markorov continued and gestured to the blue haired beauty beside him. She smiled nervously and waved.

Gajeel gave her a nod, then looked at Markorov as he kept talking. “She just moved into town a few days ago with her friend Lucy here. I’ve known Levy since she was a child, being a close friend of her family…” Markorov kept talking but Gajeel’s attention was stolen by the girl who had been staring at him since he stood there.

He looked over to catch her eye, raising his eyebrow as he did. “Why is she staring at me? _”_ He thought then realized he’d actually mumbled his words aloud. They locked eyes for a few seconds before she seemed to just notice his gaze and turned away. If she had heard his thoughts slip out she hadn’t cared.

“Either way,” Markorov continued, too caught up in his own speech to notice anything. “Levy’s a nice girl. She shouldn’t be too much of a nuisance. Isn’t that right, m’dear?” he turned to Levy who Gajeel noticed had been staring at him again. She realized Markorov had asked her a question and almost immediately became flustered. She gave a short kind of squeak that was almost cute, then waved her hands to the blonde beside her who then turned to Markorov and said,

“She say’s not to worry. Levy doesn’t usually make much noise aside from her music.” Then the blonde leaned in and whispered. “In fact all she does is read books until three in the morning.”

Markorov chuckled a bit. “Sure sounds like you haven’t changed a bit. Well, good luck getting settled. You have my number if you need anything,” he said, turning away and walking down the second story stairs. Gajeel took one last look at Levy and Lucy seemingly exchanging a conversation with just hand motions. _Sign language, huh?_ He thought. _Wonder what her story is?_ He passed off the thoughts in his head and followed Markorov’s lead down the stairs. He wasn’t much of a people person and he doubted he would venture out to talk to this new girl much. Sure he knew most of the people in his apartment complex but most of them he had known since high school. Strange how they all ended up in the same place but he didn’t think on it much. Thinking too much was bad for his health. His time in the military had taught him that.

Gajeel brought the keys out of his pants pocket and was about to step into his car when he heard footsteps stomping wildly down the stairs and a breathless huffing behind him. He turned to see that the Levy girl had followed him to his car and was holding something out to him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. Silently reaching to take the piece of paper in her hands. As she held her hands out to him her quarter sleeves rode up and he read the words on her wrist that every single person had. The words that determined everyone’s fate. The usually short phrase that told them the first words their soulmate would ever say to them. It read, ‘ _Why is she staring at me’_

His eye’s widened but he tried to keep his reaction on the low key. She was still waiting for him to take the piece of paper that she held out to him. He took it and looked at the hastily scribbled words on it. “Hi. My name’s Levy, maybe Uncle Markorov already introduced you to me and I couldn’t hear it but- I’m your new neighbor! It’s nice to meet you. Could you please kindly write your name on the paper so I know it? I’m deaf you see and appreciate your kindness.” It looked as though she had just written this on the wall of the complex and ran down to give it to him before he left. The handwriting was sloppy, almost illegible, and the pencil marks were broken and light. A few words had been crossed out and he got the impression that if this girl could speak she would be rambling at a mile a minute.

He looked up at Levy. Her hands were behind her back politely, she was smiling but something about it felt off, like she was trying too hard. Occasionally her hands would fiddle with the hem of her orange dress. She caught him looking at her and looked away shyly. He grunted and shrugged, about to write down his name for her when he realized he didn’t have a pen.

He patted his pockets a few times but they held nothing aside from his wallet and phone. He looked at Levy and mimicked signing something on the paper. She blushed and held out a pencil for him. After he took it she said something in sign language he didn’t understand a few times over.

He wrote his name down, and handed her the paper. She looked at it, nodded and then smiled at him. Something in his mind stopped just to stare at her. He hadn’t even realized she’d held out her other hand for a handshake until it was awkwardly too late. He took it and smirked at her.

After their exchange she turned around and ran back up the stairs, stopping only once to wave goodbye to him. He waved to her in return before getting in his car, slamming the door and letting his head fall back on the seat with a large sigh. _That shorty is something else…_ He thought before starting his car and driving off.

 

It was two weeks after Levy moved in and Gajeel had seen her more often than he ever thought he would. The day they met he came home from work and she was sitting right there on the porch signing wildly with an old friend of his by her side. Gajeel smirked and smacked the pink haired boy, Natsu, upside the head for good measure, releasing a cacophony of protests from him.

“You couldn’t take me with both my hands tied behind my back,” Gajeel had said in response to him asking Gajeel if he wanted to fight.

“That’s what you think!” Natsu boasted, patting his bicep. “I’ve been hitting the gym every day since I lost to you last! There’s no way you can beat me now!”

“Wanna bet, Salamander?” Gajeel said leaning in close. They were about to tussle like they always did but they were interrupted by a strange uncontrollable cackling. He turned to Levy to see her nearly bent over with laughter. Her laugh was more of a cackle as if she couldn’t control it. It was wild and untamed. After a few moments she opened her eyes and noticed them staring. Immediately her hand covered her mouth and red dusted her cheeks. She smiled nervously and signed something Gajeel couldn't understand. Natsu laughed, singing back to her.

“You can understand that alien language?” Gajeel asked him. Natsu just turned to shrug at him and said,

“Levy’s my cousin, I grew up learning sign language. You should see her when she’s angry though. No one can understand her then.” He whispered the last part to Gajeel and as though she could tell what he was saying Levy punched his arm. “Ow.” Natsu protested. “She can always tell whenever I talk about her. It’s like a gift. A horribly annoying gift.” He said loudly, looking at her. Levy stuck her tongue out at him but they both ended up laughing.

Now here she was, with her door wide open and a surprising amount of voices coming from inside. Gajeel had just gotten off work early by closing up the mechanic shop after he finished the last customers job, he hadn’t expected Shrimp to throw a party, she didn’t seem like the type. When he walked past he recognized a couple of residents from the complex and a few he didn’t. If he thought on it he did recall Natsu telling him something about Levy’s home welcoming party. Apparently him and Gray had set it up and invited half the complex in the process.

“You should come too, metalhead.” Natsu had told him. “Everyone’s gonna be there. Besides Levy can’t shut up about you.”

He almost spit out his soda, lots of it bubbled up his nose causing him to cough uncontrollably. “Yer lyin!” he finally spat. “She’s only been here two weeks.”

Natsu laughed wildly then and nudged him a little. “Oh so you like her too?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth, ya bastard!” Natsu had just laughed even more.

He stood there for a moment taking in the sight of people mingling about Levy’s apartment. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the idea of a welcoming party. But he didn’t have any sort of gift or anything to give her. His mind flashed back to the first time they met. He couldn’t get the image of her wrist out of his head. That tiny phrase...Six words. _Why is she staring at me?_

He shook his head and kept going into his apartment. Before he took three more steps though, a hand yanked his collar back into Levy’s open apartment door. “Oh no you don’t, iron bolts!” it said and he recognized Cana’s voice, his old drinking buddy.

“What the hell, woman! Let go of me!” He shouted to her but she, being surprisingly strong, tossed him in front of her and put her hands on her hips. “Wipe that damn smirk off yer face. You can’t even let me change first?” he said, gesturing to his greasy work clothes.

“What are you a girl? Man up and party!” she screamed, grabbing a bottle of whiskey off the counter and holding it high in the air. The rest of the room cheered.

“Juvia is so happy to see Gajeel-kun out of his shell!” A blue haired beauty sauntered up and greeted him.

“Yea, I’m sure you are, rain woman,” he said. “How do you know Levy anyway?”

Juvia just smiled at him and said, “Oh, Juvia doesn’t. But Lucy does and she invited Juvia to have fun.”

Just then loud noises could be heard from around a corner. Gajeel and Juvia walked forward to see Natsu bashing his head against that of another dark haired man. His rival since they’d been kids and often times his polar opposite, Gray Fullbuster.

“Say that again, flame brain, I dare you!” Gray was yelling, his voice carrying above the murmur among the crowd.

“You heard me droopy eyes! What are your ears full of hot air too?” Gajeel heard a squeak come from behind the bickering boys and soon tiny Levy squeezed herself between the two, trying desperately to push them off each other.

“Man up, you two.” A large muscled blonde said pressing his hands on both the boy’s heads and separating them better than Levy could. “Levy requested no fighting here remember?”

Both Natsu and Gray pouted but accepted the blonde’s words with a death glare at the other boy. Levy bowed to the taller blonde but he just waved a hand dismissively before walking back into the crowd.

Levy stood up straight and she caught sight of Gajeel standing, watching the whole spectacle. Her face seemed to light up, just like it always did whenever she greeted him in the morning while he went to work and she went on her daily walk.

She walked around the coffee table and couch then parted the throng of people to greet him. Since he’d known her she had managed to teach him some simple sign language, such as, ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, and ‘goodbye’ just enough to get him by. She came up to him signing a hello and a lot of other words he didn’t know yet.

Juvia looked at her surprised. “Lucy did not tell Juvia that Levy knows sign language?” she said, seemingly in awe.

Gajeel chuckled. “She doesn’t just know it, it’s how she speaks.” Juvia looked at him confused. “She’s deaf.” He explained and suddenly Juvia’s expression changed to something short of sympathy.

“Juvia had no idea!” She gave a deep bow. “She is sorry to hear that.”

Levy almost giggled, but it came out more strangled and choked than it should have. She waved her hand and smiled at Juvia.

“She’s telling you it’s fine,” he said and Juvia straightened. Levy smiled brighter and stuck a hand out to her. Juvia took it gladly.

Gajeel signed each letter of Juvia’s name, spelling it out for Levy. She perked up and signed something else that he couldn’t read.

“Yer gonna have to teach me fer days on end until I’ll be able to understand you, shorty.” He spoke. Her reaction was a little delayed but he knew she could read his lips. More often than not when he would grumble she understood it anyway and signed to Lucy to retort at him. It was as if this woman he just met two weeks ago could read him like a book...He loved it.

“Gray-sama!” Juvia broke Gajeel out of his thoughts. She waved her hand in the air and called to the dark haired man across the way. “Wait for Juvia if you’re going to take your shirt off!” Gajeel could see Gray’s face go beat red as he slinked his way through the crowd and avoided her eye contact. Juvia called his name again and went running off after him.

Gajeel smirked and Levy let out a short snort. She took out her phone, checked the time and then smiled, taking Gajeel’s hand. “Wha-” he almost said but she was already pulling him out the door and up the stairs. He wondered what the hell she was doing but Levy didn’t look back as she raced him up the stairs which he took three at a time. Calling out to her was useless, she wouldn’t be able to hear it anyway.

Levy dragged him all the way up to the highest story then rounded a corner, looking back only once to see if he was still following. He was about to mouth his confusion to her when she turned forward again and ran straight for a ladder around the other side of the building. She started climbing, gesturing for him to follow her. He guessed he had no choice so he followed suit. Once she was at the top he heard her take a sharp inhale of breath.

“Shrimp, what-?” He got to the top saying but stopped when he noticed her standing almost to the edge of the building. Gingerly she put one foot on the lip of the building’s edge. Gajeel’s eyes widened and he ran to catch her torso before she could jump. She squeaked when he grabbed her. He placed her on the ground behind him and stared into her eyes. She looked confused more than anything. He looked back at the building’s edge and got the message.

He let go of her waist and she went right back to the spot she had been. Her blue hair moved wildly in the wind, tempered only a little by her orange headband. Her pastel peach dress billowed in the wind and she held it down with one hand while the other pushed back a piece of her hair. She had the biggest smile on her face while she stared across the horizon. Past their apartment complex there was endless fields, rolling into mountains in the distance. White puffy clouds rippled across the sky that extended into forever. A rough breeze blew, carrying with it a flock of birds that rode the wind and Levy’s gaze turned to follow the birds. A smile appeared on her face as pure and golden as the sunset that outlined her tiny frame. Her skin was practically glowing with the light of the golden sundrops.

She looked back at him smiling, she extended her arm out, pointing to the sunset, as if to say, _Look at how pretty it is!_

He couldn’t respond. His eyes saw her looking at him, his brain knew she was asking for a response but his body refused to move. He wanted to stare at her longer...for eternity even if it would keep this image sunken in his mind till his very last moments.

Finally Levy took his large weathered hand in her delicate one and pulled him to the edge with her. When he put his feet on the lip just as she had she smiled brightly and signed something to him he couldn’t understand. In his mind he imagined her voice, sweet and motherly, saying to him _It’s more fun to walk along the edge._ Whether she meant the edge of buildings or the edge of life itself he didn’t know. Levy seemed to be the kind of girl who would live life as full as she can. In the short time that she had known him she’d gotten him to go hike the mountains for three days straight, dragged him to every bookstore around town and even gotten him to share almost everything in his apartment with her, from a jug of milk to blankets for cold nights when her heater wasn’t working.

He looked down at her, looking like she was about to pop out a pair of feathery wings and fly away with the wind and he had to wonder. How did he end up here? Before he could think on that Levy threw her head back and let out a loud, off key yell. She pumped her hands in the air and her voice sounded more like a scream than a cry of excitement. Every time the wind picked up a new fierce breeze she would start another loud war cry until her voice was rising and falling with the wind. Gajeel smirked as an idea popped into his head. He grabbed Levy’s waist again, ignoring her tiny squeak and near yelp of surprise. He placed her on his shoulders with her leggings rubbing against his cheeks as her hands pounded themselves down on his head in joy. She took a huge breath and let out another scream.

Suddenly he saw her hands come down in front of his face. He caught a thank you hand sign but after that her hand motions were lost to him. Still he could see in the way her hands shook and how her fingers seemed to jump with excitement that she was filled with joy.

He smirked, more to himself than anyone else and silently enjoyed listening to her gasps of excitement. Occasionally she would reach up into the sky as a bird flew overhead, as if she was tall enough to reach it, and send both of their balance nearly over the edge. Gajeel spat out a few lectures on why she shouldn’t do that but his breath and his body language was wasted when she did it again only five minutes later.

Gajeel was sure they would stay on that rooftop forever, laying down and watching the clouds, pointing to ones they liked as the sky darkened against the russet sun. Finally Lucy came calling over the ladder. She didn’t look surprised at all to see Levy up here but when she caught sight of Gajeel something in her eyes glinted with mischief.

“Oh?” she said, walking up to the both of them on the ground. “Should I leave you two alone?”

“Shut it, blondie.” Gajeel commented and tried to shoo her head away as he sat up. Just then Levy got up and began conversing with Lucy. The two delved into a hands fast flying language he couldn’t hope to follow. When they were done Lucy turned to him.

“You guys should come back down now, Erza said she wants cake.” She started to walk away then called back. “And hurry up or Juvia said she’d come up here herself and drag you down.”

Levy followed Lucy’s lead without looking back. Gajeel hesitated for just a moment, if anything to savor her walk and the way her dress swayed with her womanly gait. For a moment he allowed his thoughts free will and what they came to was something he was finding harder to deny by the day.

_She’s my soulmate…_

__

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

#    


“The end? What kind of ending was that?” Levy signed to him, her scrunched eyebrows doing more than enough to tell him of her disappointment in his story.

Gajeel smirked and began slowly signing to her, speaking with his lips as he did, “That’s the kind of ending that leaves you hanging. A story’s much better when the ending is left open.”

Levy puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms. “Says you.” She signed then turned away. Gajeel tapped her shoulder to get her to look at him.

He thinks for a bit staring at his hands. Ever since that day on the roof Levy had been teaching him more sign language every day. Before their conversations had consisted of nothing more than passing notes on a piece of paper. He still kept all those papers and all those conversations in a locked drawer at his house. He doubted that Levy even knew he kept them but he had a nagging feeling he needed to remember her. As if she wouldn’t always be there with him. That’s what always happened, anyway. He lost everyone who was ever close to him. He wasn’t surprised he was afraid of losing her too.

“Ok. Your turn.” He tried to sign but Levy took his fingers and adjusted them a little bit then gave him a thumbs up. He studied the shape his hands made and tried to hold on to it. Levy straightened her back a bit and took a deep breath. She adjusted her crossed legs so she was sitting a bit taller and facing Gajeel head on.

Her hands began to sign faster than he could read and he had to put a hand on hers and slowly sign, “Go slower.” She let out a huff of breath and he almost thought she was laughing at him but her hand signs started up again.

“This is one about a haunted classroom.” She signed as he barely followed along. She stared him in the eyes dramatically.

Gajeel almost smiled. “Tellin’ ghost stories now?” he said before he remembered she couldn’t hear him. Levy seemed to understand him anyway and smiled before getting right back into character.

“It started 26 years ago, in ninth grade, class three-” Levy stopped and looked around for a bit. Then she jumped up and ran to turn off the lights in her apartment before joining Gajeel back on the rug in front of her couch. She turned her phone flashlight on, then asked him to do the same. Now the room, being late at night, had an eerie atmosphere that was dimly lit.

Gajeel chuckled. “You’re going to have to try harder than that to scare me.” He signed sluggishly trying hard to remember the signals and to sound them out as he did.

Levy simply puffed her chest out arrogantly. Her hands jumped and her fingers twitched while she decided where to start again. “In class three there was a girl loved by all. Teacher's favorite and student's favorite she was great at sports, and got perfect grades. Until one day.” Levy made her hand movements deliberately slow so as to say each word menacingly. “She died!” She signed and then dramatically pulled her finger across her throat and stuck her tongue to the side of her mouth. Gajeel couldn't stop a chuckle but Levy didn’t let his apparent laughter phase her acting as she now stood up and pretended to be performing for him.

“Every student had different stories of how she actually died.” She signed and proceeded to act out a few of them. “She hung herself.” Levy mimicked a noose pulling tight on her neck and let her head go limp. “She was murdered.” Levy held an imaginary knife and ran it through her gullet. With every fake death Levy’s expressions would change but more often than not her depiction of a death had to include a very floppy and limp tongue. “The students were shocked of her death.” She continued to sign, letting her hand gestures go all over the place. “But no one spoke about it...until. One of her classmates stood up during a lecture and said, ‘There she is. She’s standing right there. She’s not dead.’” Levy signed then faced right and pointed to an imaginary place beyond. She turned back to Gajeel and kept the charade going. “After that another student stood up and said the same thing, and another, and another! Until everyone in class, even the teacher, continued to act like the dead girl was still alive and attending class with the rest of them. Now legends say that once every year in that same classroom...a curse will begin. When it does, no one is safe. From the wrath of THE DEAD STUDENT GIRL!” She signed wildly, Gajeel could barely keep up but in the end Levy opened her mouth in a pretend roar, letting out an offbeat ‘ _ aaahhh _ ’ and holding her hands like claws over him.

She waited for his reaction, holding her pose until he signed something in response. “Was that it?” he signed. Levy put her hands on her hips and frowned at him. Then she sat down cross legged again and signed,

“It was better than your story.”

Gajeel shook his head and signed back, “That story couldn’t even scare a little bug.” Levy rolled her eyes.

“And you think you could do better, Mr. Tough Guy?” Gajeel smirked at her and leaned in close until she felt his breath on her cheeks. He let his unusually sharp canines and bright red irises speak for themselves.

He started to speak but did it slowly so her eyes focused on reading his lips. “You wouldn’t know what hit ya if I did.” Then he leaned back to his original spot and sat there with arms crossed proudly. “So I’ll let ya live tonight. I’m nothing if not merciful.”

Levy rolled her eyes again and signed, “Your arrogance may get you killed one day.” He shrugged and she got up from her spot to grab a water bottle from her fridge. She held one up with the other in her free hand. He raised a hand and she tossed it to him over the couch.

When she sat back down she took a sip of water then turned her gaze to him. Gajeel had downed almost the whole 16 ounce bottle when he noticed her staring.

“What?” he asked.

She didn’t sign just pointed to something on his neck. He looked down to see that his dog tags had wormed their way out into the open. He usually kept them under his shirt but they must have moved when he wasn’t paying attention. He looked back up at Levy who had worry on her face now and signed. “Are you in the military?”

Gajeel grunted, downing the last of his water and crushing the bottle instantly. He hadn’t learned the hand signal for army yet so he spoke it with exaggerated mouth movements and hoped she understood it. Levy was strangely good at reading lips.

“What did you do there?” She signed, her attention was now on him fully and it seemed she couldn’t take her eyes off his tags.

Subconsciously he grabbed the tags and put them back behind the fabric of his shirt. “Infantry,” he said, again unable to sign the word correctly.

Levy was calm for a few moments before signing, “Was it hard?”

Gajeel thought on that for a moment. He avoided her questioning glare and thought back on all the moments he’d been put on the front line. It all came rushing back to him in a flurry of noises. The explosions, the shouting, the gunfire...Soon he could even smell the gunpowder in the air surrounding the musky scent of the swamp around them.

Suddenly a warm hand was placed on his shoulder and he realized he’d squinted his eyes closed. The battlefield faded away before it could swallow him completely and he looked over to see Levy had crawled over to bring him out of his nightmare. She looked at him with worry in her eyes and a crease between her brow.

When he locked eyes with her she pulled her hand away and signed, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok.” He signed back, returning the scowl to his face, the one he always wore to hide the pain of the past. Gajeel turned over his phone to check the time, 23:37 it read. Gajeel stood up and signed to Levy, “It’s late. I should get going before I’m not able to work in the morning.”

Levy stood up and tried for a smile. “Thanks for coming.” she signed. Gajeel hid his discomfort behind a smirk.

“Don’t lie,” he said then began to sign, “You just wanted company to chase away the fear of mediocre ghost stories.”

“Mediocre!?” she signed her expression going into dramatized shock. “How dare you?”

Gajeel laughed as he opened the door. He was about to walk out when Levy caught his arm and held him back. He glanced at her over his shoulder waiting for her to do something. She kept her gaze on the ground then after a moment of nothing she raised her hands as if to sign to him but lowered them again and just shook her head.

He raised an eyebrow at her but she just waved goodbye and smiled. He shrugged, waved back and walked the short distance to his own apartment.

 

Sunlight filtered in from sloppily closed blinds. The corner of the blinds were raised and it cast sunlight directly over Gajeel’s sleeping face. His expression cringed and he opened his eyes with a start. Immediately he sat up, breathing heavy and looking around.

When he realized where he was again he grunted and rubbed his face with rough hands. His inward groan intensified as he ran his hands through his long black hair to get it slicked back. Nonetheless the minute his hands let go of his head jet black strands of his hair fell right back in front of his face.

He sighed and got up to go to the bathroom. His eyes were half closed from sleep but the longer he kept them closed the fresher the memory of his nightmares came back. The torment in his head steadily increased and grew louder until he turned the water on and let the hot sting of it wash away everything in his brain.

Steam rose above him and he turned up the heat until it was nearly burning him just to stand under it. Just when he thought he couldn’t take the heat anymore he cranked it higher then shut it off soon after. His skin had been changed from dark and tan to red and flushed.

To say he was used to this would be a lie. He should be used to it by now but every time those memories came back they somehow came back fresher and more vivid. He lived this way until one day it would all build up and he’d snap under the pressure. It had happened before and he wasn’t going to deny it may happen again soon. Until then he vowed to keep his cool and say nothing just to see how long he’d last.

Maybe it was destructive to live that way but it was the only way he had learned to function. Suddenly his phone began buzzing it’s way across the table where he sat to eat. He lifted up the screen to read a text from his brother in arms saying; “I’m waiting by the flagpole for you.”

Gajeel sent a quick, “Be right down. I overslept.” to the number and wolfed down the rest of his breakfast. Quickly getting ready and stepping out of his door, he was at the flagpole in five minutes.

He caught sight of a pale dark haired man, his hair was pulled back into a ponytail but his bangs still covered his right eye as it always did. When he came close to him they shared a heartily clasped handshake and began jogging together.

Saturday mornings always started like this. Wake himself up from a nightmare he can’t seem to escape from, shower until he couldn't feel his skin then hide his weaknesses from everyone he knew. Especially his jogging buddy and former brother in arms, Rogue Cheney.

Somehow Rogue could always draw it out of him anyway. Like now when he started a conversation with, “Did you have that nightmare again?”

Gajeel gave a look of discontent. “How do you read people like a book, Ryos?”

“It’s all in the eyes. Plus your ears are still red. They only do that when you turn the heat up too much in the shower. Even on the battlefield you had a bad habit of doing that.”

“Yea, well you can’t tell me you haven’t had the same nightmares.”

Rogue, or Ryos as Gajeel knew him by, held a firm frown as he said, “It’s an occupational hazard. The worst part is that they don’t tell you that you’re signing up for a lifetime of grueling service. Then again if they did I don’t think they’d have as many recruits.”

Gajeel picked up the rest of his sentence. “And our military would be devastated.”

There was silence for a few streets then Rogue spoke again. “So how bad was it this time?”

“The usual.”

“Hm...Those are the worst.”

Rogue and Gajeel traveled in silence for another stretch of five blocks until they came to rest at the cafe hot spot in town. Both boys sat down outside the cafe and called to the local waitress who knew all they needed was a cup of water. She came over with a smile, “Here ya are, darlings. Stay hydrated out there.”

“Thanks, Bisca.” Gajeel said as she turned to take care of her other customers. The duo silently sipped their waters and caught their breath. Gajeel glanced at Rogue’s arm resting on the table. His eyes fell upon the blank space on his wrist, the same one Gajeel had.

“Did you find them yet?” Rogue said suddenly.

“What?”

Rogue gave him a look. “Your soulmate,” he said.

Gajeel hesitated and looked away. “I don’t have one, remember.”

Rogue didn’t bother trying to keep eye contact and turned his gaze to the street. “With that guilty look I don’t buy that for one second.”

“We can’t all be lucky like you and meet our soulmate after he got his tongue cut out.” Gajeel scoffed as he recalled his time with Rogue in the infantry. They were on a rescue mission, four army captains had been taken hostage by the enemy. Their job was to secure the victims lives and position. When they stormed the place they found only one captain. His hands tied behind his back, his mouth open and bleeding and a dull set to his eyes that, at first glance made Gajeel think he was dead.

Rogue frowned, recalling the memories just as Gajeel was. In the aftermath they discovered they were soulmates. Rogue and Sting had been together three years since then, and the memory still haunted them both. “If that’s what you call lucky then you’re more pessimistic than I thought.”

“At least you know why there are no words written on yer wrist,” Gajeel muttered staring at the blank spot of skin on Rogue’s arm.

“So who is it? Judging by that look on your face I assume you’ve met her-or him.”

Gajeel sighed. “Her,” he corrected. Rogue sat up in his chair immediately, looking over the table at Gajeel with intensified focus. “Levy McGarden. She was born deaf.”

Rogue cracked a smirk and said, “There ya go. I knew you had one.”

Gajeel still held his gaze to the ground. “That’s not it, Ryos.” Rogue gave him a look of confusion, prompting him to continue. Gajeel let out a shaky breath and hesitated. “She’s everything. Everything perfect and good. That tiny girl shines like the sun and I…” Gajeel grunted in frustration. “I can’t even try to be what she deserves.”

“Well, something tells me you don’t have to.” Gajeel looked to Rogue for clarification. “She’s your soulmate, dude. Obviously you were meant to be together. And for whatever reason someone up above thinks Old Iron Arm Gajeel deserves someone to love.”

“Don’t go gettin’ sappy on me, Ryos!”

Rogue laughed. “You know what I mean...Get to know this girl. You may find that you’re not as messed up as you thought.”

He shrugged off Rogue’s words then but they still echoed in his ears throughout the day, only to become more persistent when Levy gave him her usual sunshiny smile and asked for a lunch out with him. ‘Just as friends’ she had signed to him, but he didn’t miss the hint of blush that crept up on her cheeks.

“Well, if you want lunch I know a great place right across from Fairy Tail street and over the bridge.” He signed slowly as he spoke the words with each hand signal.

Levy’s eyes lit up and the smile that slid it’s way from ear to ear on her face made his stomach nauseous. She bounced up and down excitedly and frantically signed. “Is it greek?”

Gajeel chuckled. “It’s whatever you want,” he signed to her. “They have everything there.”

Levy squeaked, bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands happily. Without another hand sign she skipped off down the stairs of their apartment complex. Leaving Gajeel to follow far behind and watch her dance impatiently by his car. He sauntered up, taking his time, he enjoyed watching her grow more impatient the longer he took. Finally she signed at him to hurry up. He laughed and told her the food wasn’t going anywhere.

“No but the waiting staff might if you take all day!” she signed, puffing up her cheeks.

“Relax, shorty,” he signed and said aloud. He walked around to the passenger side and opened her door. She still had that to-die-for smile on her face when she stepped in and immediately took a book out of the satchel that hung from her shoulder and began to read.

He got in the driver's seat, stealing one last glance at Levy reading beside him.  _ Yer a fool, Gajeel. _ He told himself silently.  _ A damn fool in love. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter finally! Thanks for reading thus far, hope you enjoyed it~

 

A light knocking rose him from a nightmarish sleep. His sheets and his back were covered in sweat. The kind that kept the fabrics clinging to his body. As he looked around a buzzing on the floor sounded incessantly. He looked over the mattress to see his phone had fallen off the nightstand and was ringing non stop. He picked it up to see Levy had sent him a barrage of texts.

He skimmed through a few of them and replied, “Can’t this rant wait till the sun comes up?”

Levy replied in all caps, “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HE LOVED HER SO MUCH BUT SHE NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO TELL HIM BEFORE SHE DIED!”

“Sometimes I think you’re hopeless, shorty.”

After a few moments of nothing she sent another text. “...Do you have extra tissues? I ran out.”

“You want to watch a movie to get over it again?"

“At 2 in the morning?”

“Hell, I’m wide awake now.”

“I’ll make popcorn!!”

In a matter of minutes Gajeel had unlocked his door, started up her favorite movie and waited for her to walk in. Levy opened the door of his apartment and let it close softly.

Gajeel didn’t bother to move from his spot on the couch but just held up the cover of the movie he had put in. Levy dropped a bowl of popcorn over his shoulder and into his lap before walking around to sit next to him. She took her seat, instantly lifting her legs up into her chest.

Gajeel took one look at her, turned on the lamp next to him and handed her the tissues. Her eyes were red rimmed and a little puffy. The tip of her tiny nose was dusted red and her brown eyes shone like candles with the gleam of freshly fallen tears.

Gajeel laughed a bit. “You’re a sap, you know that?” he signed.

Levy frowned and signed back, “Says the lonely lovelorn shop mechanic.”

“I don’t need romance, I have a cat.” Gajeel signed then looked to his right where sure enough, Pantherlily had jumped up on the arm of his couch and stared at the both of them. After making sure neither of them were going to reach out and pet him he began lifting his leg and cleaning his nether regions.

“Agh, Lil!” Gajeel protested knocking the cat’s head upwards. Pantherlily stared at him with dull eyes before jumping over him and into Levy’s waiting lap. He purred as she put a hand to sooth the top of his head. “Traitor.” Lily looked at him as Gajeel spoke, then spread every one of his legs over Levy’s lap so they hung in the air.

Levy smiled and signed to him, “Ok, the rituals complete, start the movie.”

Gajeel rolled his eyes before pressing the play button and together they watched the movie in silence.

 

Warmth. The comfort of peace. He felt something small and warm in his arms before he was fully awake. He pulled it closer, taking in its scent and familiarity. Sleep still clung to him just as he clung to the warm mass in his arms.

“Did Gajeel-kun forget?” A voice broke into his dark sleep. Unconsciously he turned his head away from the voice before it spoke again and he realized where he was. “Should Juvia call their plans cancelled?”

“Wha-” Gajeel finally opened his eyes. Blue hair swept in front of his eyes and Juvia’s face filled his vision. As his senses woke up he realized Levy’s head was resting on his chest and what he thought to be a blanket was her. The realization startled him right out of his seat. He lost his balance and ended up with his head hitting the ground, his legs caught under Levy’s as her face hit the leather couch and she woke as if blissfully rising from a nap. While Gajeel was rubbing his head and cursing his luck that Juvia would walk in to see them like that Levy was rubbing her eyes and pushing herself up with one arm.

Juvia giggled, “Gajeel-kun knows what day it is, correct?”

He didn’t move as he replied from the floor, “The day you should have knocked before just walking into my house.”

Levy looked up and noticed Juvia’s presence, to which she offered a smile and small wave. “Good morning.” Juvia signed to her. After asking Lucy to teach her sign language Juvia had been improving quickly, nearly surpassing Gajeel’s skill in just a few short weeks.

Levy smiled brighter, “Good morning.” Then she seemed to question Juvia’s presence and asked, “Why is Gajeel on the floor?”

Juvia straightened herself from leaning over the back of the couch and spoke as she signed for Levy. “Gajeel-kun must have forgotten Juvia’s birthday, Also he is embarrassed to be caught sleeping with Levy.”

Gajeel pointed a sharp finger in the air at her, “Watch it, rain woman! I can return that birthday present if I have to.” Finally he lifted himself up from his fall, pulling fly away hairs from his face. He shook his head of sleep and happened to look to Levy whose face had gone tomato style red. She caught him looking at her as her face slowly grew redder and her eyes wider.

Then she picked up a pillow and, throwing it at Gajeel, signed, “Stupid Gajeel! Why did you fall asleep on the couch! Woman need their privacy!”

“What!” He shouted and began signing as fast as he knew how, “You’re the one who fell asleep on me, crazy woman!”

Juvia’s laugh interrupted him. Levy noticed his attention turned elsewhere and followed his gaze to read Juvia’s lips as she spoke, “Juvia thinks Gajeel-kun should-” Gajeel hurried to stand up. Almost tripping over Lily who had planted himself right under his feet, he interrupted Juvia before she could say anymore.

“Yeah, yeah!” He shouted over her. Knocking their shoulders together as he walked his way into the kitchen. “How’d you get in here anyway?” He asked after pouring himself a mug of coffee. He looked to the front door which was still wide open.

“Gajeel-kun left his door unlocked so Juvia walked inside.”

“Ever heard of knockin’?” he asked, taking a sip from his mug before tasting the bitter ice cold coffee that he had left over day and night. He spit the coffee in the sink then with a look of disgust dumped the mug in the sink as well.

“Juvia did knock. Gajeel did not answer.”

He checked the clock on the microwave behind him. “Well, jeez, Juve it’s seven in the morning, I wonder why?”

Juvia didn’t seem perturbed by his sarcasm and instead giggled. “Juvia was too excited for today.”

Just then Levy had gotten her face back to it’s normal color and stood beside Juvia, asking. “Did you say today is your birthday?”

Juvia nodded, speaking back to her in sign language. “Yes! Juvia and Gajeel-kun planned a day at the beach to celebrate!”

Levy’s eyes widened and she signed ‘happy birthday’ over and over again until she was practically dancing around Juvia. He watched as she jumped up and down, then circled Juvia and pretended to throw confetti around her, the biggest smile plastered on her face as she did. She took Juvia’s hand and although being considerably shorter than her spun her under Levy’s upward stretched arm. She danced and threw pretend confetti a little more than ended her show with hands thrown high up in the air. Juvia joined in laughing.

“ _ Get to know this girl. You may find you’re not as messed up as you thought. _ ” Rogue’s words wormed their way into his thoughts again.  _ I don’t know, Ryos...No one ever came up with a cure for tainted pasts. _

Just as planned Gajeel drove Juvia down to the beach where she claimed she loved to spend most of her time. And also as planned they met up with the rest of the people in their complex, all of them shouting ‘Happy Birthday’ and holding up their gifts to Juvia.

She grew immediately excited kicking off her sandals and running with them down to the beach where it looked like Natsu and Gray had already set up a blanketed area with umbrellas and towels.

“Oi!” Gajeel called after her, “Don’t go running off without taking something with you!” His words fell on deaf ears as Juvia was already throwing herself onto Gray until they both toppled over into the sand. Gajeel grunted, looked to the open trunk full of beach chairs, a fold up table, a food basket, and towels and he sighed.

He put his hand on one of the chairs but encountered another tiny hand wrapping around it. Levy had reached for the same beach chair he did and when their hands touched she smiled. His heart skipped a beat and he had to look away just in case the heat he felt in his cheeks was turning him red. He went to grab another chair and the basket of food. With Levy’s help they only made one extra trip to the car before they had everything. Levy began setting up the fold up table and placing the food on it. Lucy helped with a smile and grabbed the chairs to put around it.

Gajeel looked around, yeah, everyone was here. Natsu was picking a fight with Gray, Erza was pretending to feed Jellal strawberry cake and Juvia was fawning over- whatever Gray did this time, which was never much to get her going.

Eventually even Gajeel got roped into Natsu and Gray’s antics and before he knew it half the beach was wrassling with each other in a brawl so rowdy they almost got kicked out.

Erza, Lucy, and Levy along with most of the girls from their party ended up apologizing deeply to the police who came on scene after Natsu had been flung into the sea and nearly drowned. Following all the craziness Juvia enjoyed her cake along with a very special birthday song that apparently Natsu and her had come up with a long time ago.

The group watched Juvia open her presents one by one becoming more excited with every gift. The sun had finally gone down and soon the whole beach was empty save for Juvia’s birthday party attendees. The full moon had come up, with it an array of stars they would have never been able to see in the city. It was almost romantic. The way only the waves sounded around them and how the beach was darkened save for the moonlight which sparkled off the water. 

The party had calmed down and everyone dispersed to different parts of the beach. Gray sat with Juvia by the water side, letting their feet soak in the sand and low tide. Erza took Jellal and climbed their way to the top of the rock pile where the waves crashed and the moonlight glimmered. Natsu grabbed Lucy’s wrist and practically dragged her along with him, far down on the beach. Lucy shouted a wave of protests at him then Gajeel heard him say something about it all being worth it when they got there but he didn’t pay them much mind.

Levy took one look at Erza and Jellal sitting like two lovebirds on the rocks, glanced to some more rocks a little ways away from them and then at him. He caught what she was thinking but he hesitated.

Levy just smiled and motioned her hands to say, “Should we watch the moon come up over the waves together?”

Gajeel raised an eyebrow. “But..we are?” he said, referring to the beach chairs they were sitting in.

Levy puffed up her cheeks. “Stupid Gajeel! We can see it better from on the rocks. Don’t you know how to be romantic to a lady?”

If he was taking a sip of his drink he might have done a spit take but as it was he took a sharp inhale and looked at her wide eyed. Before he could sign anything more she grabbed his wrist and trudged off down the sand to the rocks.

Once to the rocks that looked more like sponges to him, with how much they’d been weathered and eroded, Levy went to climb the biggest boulder first. Gajeel sighed and had to pick her up so she could get a foot hole. She signed a quick ‘thank you’ to him then proceeded to step on his head to get an extra boost. He followed after her, coming over the crest of the rock and jumping over crevices between the boulders.

When Levy reached as far out as she could go she let her toes dangle off the edge a little then looked back at Gajeel with a smile that could outshine the sun. “Look! I think Natsu brought fireworks!” she signed as she pointed to the sky.

Gajeel came to stand beside her and watched the explosions of color appear in the sky, giving light to the darkened world. Something inside him churned wildly. He hated that sound. It meant chaos, fighting, trauma...and death. His fists clenched automatically, behind his eyelids flashed the scenes of the battlefield.

Levy’s hand grabbed his and his fists relaxed. He looked to her as she pointed to a sitting spot below them where they could dip their feet in the tempestuous water. He focused on her. Her bouncing blue hair, her golden eyes turned a deep brown in the darkness and her hand holding his leading him to a private spot all their own.

Levy sat down once she reached the bottom and dipped her feet in the water with a satisfactory grin. She looked at Gajeel who was still standing and pat the spot next to her. “The water’s so refreshing after the hot sand and rocks.” she signed. He hesitated after another boom from the fireworks but sat down next to her. While only her feet hit the water, for him the water went up to his knees.

Levy seemed content enough to stargaze with her feet dipped in the water and the hugest of smiles on her face. It seemed to him that every day she had a bigger smile. He was positive that after too long it would rip her whole face in half and yet...she remained so perfectly beautiful.

There was another  _ boom! _ A loud one this time that reverberated in his chest. His heart pounded and he had to bite his lip until he tasted blood to stop the memories. Levy’s hand brushed his and he looked at her for a moment. Her skin glowed, even more so than when they had first met. Her eyes were lit up and shined like Christmas lights. Had her hair always been styled to frame her face like that?

Gajeel gave Levy’s shoulder a tap, she looked at him. He didn’t say anything for a bit causing her eyebrows to knit in confusion, then he took her chin between his index finger and thumb and lifted it up slightly. Her lips parted with a short gasp but he didn’t allow them time to think before he leaned forward.

Their lips met, combining the sweet taste of lip gloss and salty ocean water. More fireworks went off but Gajeel couldn’t hear them over the sound of his own heartbeat. Levy leaned into him a little more, deepening the kiss as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Even from here he could feel her shaking. Confused he pulled away.

Levy had her eyes closed but she opened them slightly, looking at him with a mix of emotions on her face that he couldn’t seem to read. After a few seconds he took her hands in his. They were cold and unstable, shaking so much he would have thought she’d been traumatized. He looked up at her, a question in his expression. Levy lowered her head so her bangs hid her eyes.

Without looking up she signed, “I’m just nervous.” The way her fingers slowed after the word ‘nervous’ and how her hand signals seemed to just linger in the air until she placed her hands, folded in her lap tugged at his heart.

Gajeel lifted her chin again, leaning close to her until he could feel her quickened breath. Silently he mouthed, “Don’t be.” Levy stared at him wide eyed before taking a breath and nearly launching herself at him. Her hands wrapped around his head, holding him in place while she closed her eyes tight and threw them both into another kiss.

Her lips parted this time, encircling his and pushing into his entire body. He tried to kiss back with as much vigor as Levy had but he was afraid her emotion trumped his experience. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. But Levy let go too soon.

For a few seconds they stared at each other and he watched her cheeks turn twenty shades redder. Finally Levy let go of the clump of his hair she had balled in her fists and sat back down, one leg underneath her and her hands in her lap again. She looked at him for a while as if waiting for him to say something but he could only sit there, stunned and slack jawed.

“So…?” she signed after he had done nothing but stare at her for an embarrassingly long time.

Gajeel closed his mouth, looked confused and replied, “So what?”

Levy’s cheeks puffed up again and she hit his shoulder. “Stupid Gajeel! Are you gonna ask me out or not?”

“Ah, shit.” He cursed as he looked away, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Mustering up his remaining courage he sighed. “Levy-” He began but she didn’t let him finish before she threw herself onto him again, this time wrapping her arms around his neck and nodding into his shoulder.

He held her there for a long time, both of them waiting for the other to let go first. Finally Levy pulled away and gave him her brightest smile yet. Then she looked down at her wrist, where his words were still etched into her skin. She traced over the words and looked at him to ask, “You’re my soulmate...aren’t you?”

If Gajeel hadn’t gone red before he must have been deeper than the color of the blood that flowed in his veins now. Without responding he showed her his wrist and the blank patch of skin that was supposed to be the first words she uttered to him. He had forgotten that during his time in the military he had received more than his fair share of scars that now littered their way up his arm. Levy looked at the empty patch of skin then began tracing his scars all the way up to his shoulder. She looked him in the eyes, concern lacing every inch of her golden irises.

Levy didn’t seem to be gathering her words so Gajeel spoke for her. Signing his story to her with a sort of sadness weighing down his motions. “For the longest time I never believed I had one. I thought love was fake. Only for fools and idiotic saps.” He looked into her eyes which had widened significantly. “Then I met you. The minute I read those words on yer wrist I knew I was screwed.” He finished his thoughts and dropped his hands.

Levy picked up the conversation with, “I’m sorry.”

“What the hell for?” he asked.

“For making you think that. If only I wasn’t deaf then…”

Gajeel took hold of her hands before she could say anymore. He looked at her sternly, signing, “Don’t go blaming yerself for nothing. You didn’t ask to be born deaf so it sure as hell ain’t yer fault.”

She hesitated. “...Could you still love me?”

“I already do.”


End file.
